REMA, BURNA BOY, AND SELENA GOMEZ WIN BIG
AT THE 16TH ANNUAL HEADIES

REMA, ASAKE, BLAQBONEZ, BLACK SHERIF, and more attended the 16th annual Headies Awards, which took place over Labor Day Weekend at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, GA and was hosted by Emmy Award-nominated actor Terrence J, and Nigerian American actress Osas Ighodaro. As the most coveted pan-African music award event celebrating the African Renaissance, The Headies rewards, recognizes, and celebrates the greatest in Afrobeats, African music, and culture, featuring sounds from South, East, Central, North, and West Africa.


This year’s event—which returned to the States for the second year in a row—was no different, as the highly-anticipated celebration featured the world’s most influential and impactful artists from Africa to the United States. Rema and Burna Boy each won three awards and Odumodublvck, Asake, and Victony & Tempoe each won two awards. Selena Gomez won International Artiste of the Year and Director K, won for Best Music Video. Asake took home this year’s Album of the Year award as well as the Next Rated Award, which came with a home. Here’s the full winner’s list:


International Artist of the Year: Selena Gomez

Best Rap Single: Odumodublvck – “Declan Rice”

Best Vocal Performance: Wande Coal – “Kpe Paso”

Best Music Video: Director K – “Calm Down” (Remix)

Best Rap Album: Blaqbonez – Young Preacher

Lyricist on the roll: Payper Corleone – “Fly talk alone”

Producer of the year: Rexxie – Abracadaba Remix

Best Male Artiste: Rema

Rookie of the year: Odumodublvk

Best Inspirational Single: Neon Adejo – “Eze Ebube”

Special Recognition: Soundsultan

Afrobeats single of the year: Burna Boy – “Last Last”

Digital Artiste of the year: Rema

Best Street Hop Artiste: Seyi Vibez

Next Rated: Asake

Album of the year: Asake – “Mr Money with the vibe”

Song of the year: Burna Boy – “Last Last”

Best Collaboration: Spyro ft Tiwa Savage – “Who is your guy remix”

African Artiste of the year: Rema (Nigeria)

Best West African Artiste of the year: Black Sherif (Ghana)

Best R&B Album: Chike – The Brother’s Keeper

Headies Viewers choice: Victony- “Soweto”

Best Recording of the year: Victony & Tempoe – “Soweto”

Best Vocal Performance (Female): Waje – “In Between”

Best North African Artiste of the year: El Grande Toto – Morocco

Best East African Artiste of the year: HEREDiamond Platnumz

Best Central African Artiste of the year: Libianca – Cameroon

Best Female Artiste: Ayra Starr

Hall of Fame: Youssou N’Dour

Songwriter of the year: Simi Kosoko, Godsfavour Chidozie, Kosoko Adekunle, Marcel Akunwata – “Loyal” (Simi)

Best Alternate Album: BOJ – Gbagada Express

Best Southern African Artiste of the year: Focalistic – South Africa

Best R&B Single: Burna Boy – “For My Hand”

Best Alternative Song: Wizard Chan – “Earth Song”


Inspired by the need to fill a significant void and be the voice of a generation in the culture that they represent, The Headies understands the urban contemporary pop culture that Afrobeats brings to mainstream music. The event boasts a mega-platform that interfaces with young, talented artists who represent the future of global music. For a complete list of winners and honorees, click HERE.